Canopy-switch.



R. B. BENJAMIN.

CANOPY SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED D110. 28. 1907.

Patented Jan. 24, 1911.

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R. B. BENJAMIN.

CANOPY SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED D110. 28, 1907.

982,345, 1 Patented Jan. 24, 1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

R. B. BENJAMIN.

CANOPY SWITCH.

APPLIUATION IILED D30. 28, 1901.

982,345, Patented Jan. 24, 1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3..

R. B. BENJAMIN.

CANOPY SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED D110. 28, 1907.

982,345. Patented Jan. 24, 1911.

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- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

E. BENJAMIN, or 01110460, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR To BENJAMIN ELECTRIC Be it known thaflI REUBEN B. BENJA- MIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the countyof Cook and State of Illinois, have invented. new and useful Improvements in Canopy Switches, of which the following is av full,clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had tov the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification. f

This invention relates toimprovements in electrical switching mechanism and particu larly to a type of such mechanism wherein rotary make-and-break switchin meansare adapted to be actuated by pu l-operated means extending therefrom to a point convenient of access for the operator. 1 My invention is of particular utility when used in combination with-ac'luster electric lamp socket. In the use of these plural lamp-holding devices, it is common to secure the cluster to the ceiling or to arrange the same upon the lower end ofa depending pipe forming a conduit thrbugh which the circuit wires extend to the binding terminals of the cluster. For switching the lamps oil and on or, when desired, controlling the number of lamps which are burning at one time, it is usual to provide switching means located at a dist-ant point and to lead wires therefrom to the cluster.

My improved switchin mechanism is adapted to be associated irectly with the lamp cluster. It may be connected to a suitable support secured to. the ceiling, in which case the cluster will depend from the bottom of the device, being elther secured directly thereto or ,arranged uponthe lower end of a pipe which is secured at its up er end to the device. Acord, chain or the li e willextend through the casing of the device to a convenient point for grasping by the person operating the switch. To turn on or extinguish the lamps or to chan e the number of lamps that are burning, t 's cord will be given a pull, and when released will be drawn back by suitable means providedafor the purpose within the device.

In the accompanying drawings, in which I have illustrated an embodiment of my invention, Figure 1 is an elevational view of the device with the casing thereof in section, one of the legs of the supporting frame bespaw of Letters Patent. Applicationflled December 28, 1907. Serial No. 408,406.

mNtrrac'rnm e COMPANY, oE CHICAGO, ILLINoIs, a CORPORA'1ION 0E I LINoIs.

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Patented Jan. 24, 1911.

ing broken away; Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the same, the section being taken on theline 2--2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 3 is a vertical-sectional view, the section being taken on the line 3-3 of Fi 1, looking in the direction oftlie arrows ig. 4: shows a vertical section'taken on the'line 4,-4 of Fig. 3, looking in thedii'ection' indicated by the arrows; Fig. 5 is an elevational face view of the insulating base which carries the stationary switch contacts; Fig. 6 is an elevational ,view of the rear side of the base shown in Fig. 5, and. shows the binding terminals by means of which the connec 'tions are made; Fig. 7 is an elevational view of the pulley to which is secured the operating cord, showing the shaft and a portion of the frame in section on line 7-7 of Fi 4; Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing this pulley and the means whereby rotation imparted to the same is transmitted to the shaft of the switch mechanism; and Figs.

9, 10, 11 and 12 are detail views of members which are'employed in making up the device.

In the several figures of the drawings, 15

is a canopy consisting of a casing having the general form of an inverted bell and inclosing the switch mechanism and means for operating the same. Arranged within the casing is a frame comprising a pair of upwardly-diverging legs 16 and 17 united at their upper ends by a cross-piece 18. The cross-piece 18 is formed with an opening 19, screw threaded for the reception of the threaded end of a pipe or the like for supporting the device. The lower portion of this frame is formed with a similar opening 20, threaded for the reception of the stem 21 which leads downward to the electrolier, cluster, or other lamp-carrying device.

Each of the legs 16 and 17 of the supporting frame is provided with an inwardly proi'ecting lug 22 to which is secured the porce- 'ain contact-carrying base 23 by means. of bolts 22, 22. The base 23 carries the Sta-r tionary contacts of the switch mechanism,

three such contacts being shown and indirated 24, 25' and 26 respectively. The base 7 23 is provided with a central aperture in which Is disposed a bushing 27 forming one i p of the bearings for the shaft 28 of the switch mechanism. The opposite end of this shaft is supported in a bracket 29 which is secured to the leg 16of the frame.

The switch mechanism maybe of any of the well-known forms of'switch mechanism inihich the rotation of the shaft causes the e and break of the circuit. to be accomplished suddenly. In the drawings I have shown a preferred form of such switch mechanism, in which the. rotation of the shaft places a. spring under tension, the tension bein' increased until the shaft has been ro tat to a predetermined position, whereupon the movable contacts are released-and are suddenly thrown by the stored-up energy of the spring to a new position. In this switch mechanism the. shaft is provided with mally interlock with corresponding teeth on the nut 31. Surrounding this shaft 28 is a spring 32 having one of its ends secured to a pin 32 on the shaft and its opposite end secured to a suitable'barrel 33 which carries the movable contacts of the switch. This barrel and the nut 31 are so connected toi gether that the nut may move-lengthwiseof the shaft but is not permitted to rotate independently of the barrel 33 and switch blade 34. When the shaft 28 is revolved in a righthand direction thespring'32 is putu'nder about one-fourth of a revolution, the nut has increased tension an at the' same time the nut 31 is-c'aused to move inward on the shaft by reason of its screw-thread connection therewith. When the shaft has rotated to a predetermined position, preferably through been so far moved along on the shaft that it is permitted to disengage itself fromthe teeth of the bushing 27, whereupon the. bar'- rel and nut, aswel as the switch blade, are

caused to suddenly revolve under the influence of thespring 32. As these parts turn on the shaft the nut is caused to run outward on the screw thereof and again engages the bushing 27. This prevents the switch blade from rotatingfurther. I By reason of this arra cut a continuous rotation imparted to the shaft would cause the switch blade to move forward intermittently or with a stepby-step movement. As the blade is retarded until the shaft has moved through a quarter of a revolution and is then released and permitted to suddenly jump forward, the make 'or break of the circuit is very quickly accomplished and destructive sparking 'is prevented.

, The above-described form of snap-switch mechanismis well known, and is illustrated and described herein merely for the purpose of showing one form of such mechanism which may be employed.

Rotary snap-switch devices are usually operated by revolving the shaft manually by meansof a key afixed to one end thereof. In

the device forming the subject of the present invention, the key is omitted, and in place thereof I provide means whereby a pull exerted on a cord, chain or the like will 'lmpart revolution to the shaft, each successive pull movingthe' contact-making part forward from one operative position'to the next. Each pull given to the. cord revolves the shaft through one-fourth ofa revolution,

the switch blade bein heldback'untilthe shaft has nearly reac ed the limit of its quarter revolution, and then being suddenly moved forward as above described.

On the shaft 28- I arrange. a plate 35 (shown, in f-perspective in Fig. 11) having spring tongues 36 extending therefrom and adapted to engage'a suitableratchetplate 37. This ratchet. plate 37 is secured to and turns with a suitable pulley 38, to which is secured one endof the operating cord 39. A

convenient method which I employ for securing the plate 35 upon the shaft consists in flattenin a portion .40 of the shaft near its outer en as best shown in Figs. 4 and 12, and straddling on this flattened part a clip 41. This clip 41 has a air of lugs 42 bent at an angle with its y'portion and projecting through suitable openings 43 in the plate 35. When the cord 39 is pulled to unof the spring tongues36, carried by the plate 35, engage in the notches or openings 44 of wind the same' from the pulley 38, the ends .theratchet-disk3'Z, and as this ratchet diskis secured to andtu'rns with the pulley, and thedisk 35 is secured to and turns with the shaft, the latter is dragged around with the .pulley. When the cord is released the pulley is moved backfto its normal position by means. ofia. spring 45, the ratchet .plate 37 of the plate 35. This returning sprin 45 is secured at one of its ends'to the pn ey 38 and. at'its other end to a lug .46 formed on an anchor'plate47 (see Fig. 9) This anchor plate has a ring-shaped portion 48 surround mg the shaft and a lug 49 which extends through an openingin an insulating disk 50 and into a depression. 51 in the insulating base 23, by means of which the anchor'plate is prevented from turning. The insulating disk 50 forms a non-conducting cover for the switch-contact-carrying side of the base and serves as a partition for separating all of the live parts of the device from the pulley, re-

turning spring, ratchet and other operating mechanism. T he'operating cord 39 is led to and outwardly through a suitable bushing 52 in an OPQILII1 in the casing 15 and'from this point may 0 led in any direction to a L10 "turning .freely under the spring ratchets 36 'point convenient of access by a person op- I eg 16. \Vhen the casing is to be removed or replaced, this bushing may be swung inwardly out of the way to permit such manipulation of the casing. A

The rear side of the base is formed with depressions in which are located terminal plates connected with the contacts on the opposite side thereof, these plates' carrying binding-screws for making connection with the leads and theconductors which extend downward through the stem to the lamps. The arrangement of these plates is shown in Fig. 6, which is a rear view of the base. A movable insulating cover 54 is arranged over this side of the base, being provided with a transverse slot 54 through which projects the end of the shaft 28. The cover 54 is held on the shaft by a nut 54", and can be moved toward one side'or the other to afi'ord access to the binding-screws on either half of the base at one time. It will be seen that the cover 5+1, when moved to disclose one of the bindin terminals, will project beyond the side of the insulating base; thereby preventing the casing 15 from being placed in position when the cover 54 is in such a condition. By preventing the casing 15 from being placed 1n position unless the cover 54 is closed, danger of short circuiting by reason of a loose wire end touching the casing is avoided.

The stationary contact- 24 is secured in place by means of suitable screws 55 and 55 passingthrough the base. (See Figs. 5 and 6.) The screw 55 extends into a plate 56, this plate carrying a binding-screw 57.-

The contact 25 is similarly secured by screws 58 and 59, the screw 59 passing through a plate 60 which carries a bindingscrew 6 .Thecontact 26 is secured by screws 6 and 63, the screw 62 extending into a plate 64 carrying a bindin -screw 65.

A connecting plate 66 is secured in place on the base by means of a screw 67. and is provided with a pair of binding-screws 68 and 69. This last-named plate isnot connected with any contact and serves merely as a connecting plate for convenience in wiring up. a v

When the device formin the subject of this invent-ion is em loyed in connection with a cluster lampolding device, elec. t-rolier, orthe like, various groupings of the lamps may be had as hereinabove explained, by making the proper wiring connections.

In Fig. 6 I have shown diagrammatically a circuit arrangement -by the use of which the followin effects may be secured: With the switch b ade in one of the four possible positions, the lamps will be all turned off:

upon the cord being given a pull to move the switch blade to the next position, one lamp or group of lam s will be lighted: upon the next forwar movement of the switch another lamp or grou of lamps will be lighted, the first. group being turned off: upon the next movement the first up will be again turned on so that all the amps are burning, and u on the next movement the lamps will be al extinguished. Thisfis of great convenience andutility wl1ere afcluster lamp-holding device is employed having a single central lamp and a ci'rcularlyarran ed series of lamps. -The first group turned on may consist of but the single centrally-disposed lamp. The next operation of the switch would then extinguish this lamp and light the circularly-arranged lamps: ,the next operation would relight the central lamp, and the next operation would extinguish all the lamps.

It will be observed that both of the line leads are brought to binding-screws on the base, the necessity for carrying a lead or leads down through the stem to the cluster being thus obviated. This is of practical value as it renders unnecessary the splicing of wires upon the short ends of the leads which are ordinarily left extending from the ceiling when the wiring of the building is done. If the device is to be removed for repairing or for any other purpose it is necessary merely to detach the ends of these short wires from their binding-posts, when the whole structure, including the cluster and lamps, may be taken down without. disturbing any of the other wire connections. Access to the parts of the device is readily obtained by lowering the canopy 15 on the stem 21. up against the ceiling and is held in this position by means of a ring 70 surrounding the stem and held up against the lower end of the canopy by a set-screw 71. As these devices are frequently employed u on metal ceilings I providemeans for insu ating the canopy therefrom, this means comprlsing an insulating ring 72 arranged within the upper edge of the canopy. As a further in- The canopy is normally moved sulating means, and to prevent dirt from dropping down into the device I also provide an lnsulating disk 73 in the upper portion of the'canopy.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Istters Patent is: e

' 1. The combination of a frame, a cupshaped insulating base carried thereby, snap .switc'h mechanism. in said base,binding term1nals on the rear of said base located in depressions therein, electrical connections extending through said base to said terminals,

an insulating cover closing the open side of I said base, a conduit. extending downwardly from said frame, a casing'inclosing said frame, ratchet and pawl mechanism in front erating said ratchet and pawl mechamsm,

said means extending through said casin and being operated by a pull imparte thereto.

- 2. The combination of a frame, a base carried thereb having stationary contacts on one of its sldes and depressions in its opposite side, binding terminals in said depres sions, electrical connections extending through said base to said terminals, a. slidable insulating cover for'closing said depressions a rotatable contact-ma member adapted to alternately make an break electrical connection between said stationary contacts, a conduit extending from said frame, a casing inclosing said frame, and means extending outwardly through said casing for intermittently advancing said ro v tatable member from one operative position 1 to another, said insulating cover and easing being so formed as to prevent the casing be-, ing put into position before the cover has been closed.

3. The combination of a cup-shaped'base, rotary switch mechanism in said base, an insulating cover closing the open side of the base and inclosing sa1d switch mechanism and having an opening for the shaft thereof, oscillating pull-operated means in front of said cover for advancing said shaft, a oneway clutch for lockingsaid shaft' to said pull-operated means when the same is oscillated in one direction, and means-for returning said pull-operated means,

4. The combinatlon of a frame, a conduit extending I from said frame, an insulating base carried by said frame, snap switch mechanism upon one sideof said base, binding terminals upon the other side of said base, an insulating cover for protecting said bin'ding terminals, a pulley supported connection between said pulley and said I switch mechanism, said "cover being arranged to prevent said casing being moved along said conduit to normal position before the cover is closed.

5. The combination of a frame, an insulating base carried thereby, stationary contacts on said base, a rotatable. shaft, 8. contact making and breaking member carriedby said shaft and arranged to rotate in a perpendicular plane, a pulley, means for oscilatin said pulley, 'tion is conduit extend' downwardly from said frame, a casing inclosing said frame, said ratchet and pawl-conned tween said pulley and said shaft, :1

casing having-its 11 per edge formed by an insulating ring, an an insulating disk carried by space within said ring.

said frame and arranged to close the 6. The combination of a frame, snap switch mechanism carried thereby, pull-operated means for intermittently operating said switch mechanism, a conduit extending from the bottom of said frame, a casing normally inclosing said switch mechanism and havmg the upper portion 'ofits side walls parallel, said casing being movable along said conduit, and an insulating disk secured to said frame and fitting closely the open side-of said casing.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto sub:

scribed my name ne'sses- TREU BEN B.

Witnesses: 7

ML, Famzan, ,CHAnnrpsL. HOPKINS.

BENJAMIN.

in the presence of two wit- 

